David Corby and Kristin Fillingham
Something Sweet
These minty cookies are a fresh and festive take on the classic French macaroon. The meringue-like cookies provide a brief crunch, then melt in your mouth so the velvety buttercream filling smooths the palate.
Ingredients
Cookies
1 3/4 cups ground almonds
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups icing sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
Buttercream filling
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
2 Tbsp whipping cream
pink and green food colouring
Method
Cookies
- In a small bowl, sift icing sugar into ground almonds.
- In a large bowl, beat egg whites and salt on medium high speed until foamy. Slowly add sugar while beating until medium-stiff peaks form. Add peppermint extract.
- In three stages, gently fold in almond mixture with a large spatula.
- Prepare a pastry bag with a 1 cm round tip. Pipe 6 cm rounds onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Chill in fridge 30 min.
- Preheat oven to 300˚F. Bake macaroons about 30 min or until lightly golden. Cool on baking sheet 10 min. Transfer to wire rack. Cool.
Buttercream filling
- In a medium bowl, beat butter on medium speed while slowly adding sugar.
- Add cream and peppermint extract. Tint with colour.
Assembly
- Spread half the cookies with filling.
- Top with another cookie.
Yield 4 servings